Sundials of North America

This is a complete listing of sundials in the North American Sundial Society Registry. Click on any dial thumbnail picture or city name to display the full dial listing and images. To see sundials from a particular state or province, you may click on the list at right to see all registered sundials in that state, province or country (at bottom) displayed in city order.

You may also type into the NASS search field at upper right any search word such as "equatorial" to get a list of all articles mentioning equatorial dials and a list of all equatorial sundials in the registry. (Try other dial types: "vertical", "horizontal", etc).

	Frankenmuth	Michigan	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 194
	This monument sundial is an Erickson equatorial polar dial 6 feet in diameter made of light granite with a 3 inch steel rod as gnomon. Time is graduated by hour, half-hour, quarter hours and 5 minute marks over 24 hours. Noon is at the bottom, matching the 105 degree meridian. Designed to be read from the upper surface in Spring/Summer, from the under side in Fall/Winter. Unlike other Erickson dials, the Equation of Time plaque is presented in a circular arc on the ground.
	Fredericksburg	Virginia	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 193
	A 7 inch diameter brass horizontal dial with 3.5 inch high brass gnomon on a weathered octagonal stone pedestal. Reported to be contemporary with Mary Ball Washington's occupancy of this house in the 1780s. Dial sits atop a stone pillar.
	Arcata	California	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 192
	Armillary dial with horizon ring 4 ft. 4.5 in. diameter designed by Ken Lynch. Dial is made of brass and horizon ring has signs of the zodiac on it. Mounted at ground level with a separate plaque with Equation of Time. After the dial was installed the university ordered the point on the end of the gnomon sawed off. It was feared that someone might become impaled on it. Gift of Harvy S. Kieval, Professor Emeritus - Math.
	Waltham	Massachusetts	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 191
	A declining vertical sandstone dial approximately 3x6 feet with bronze gnomon. Mounted at 2nd floor level on large stone house. Roman numerals. Hour lines from 6 am-5 pm are not in standard vertical position, presumably offset to correct for wall not facing due South. Dial reclines approx 2 degrees north. Dial # 190 (Cambridge MA, Mt. Aubry Cemetery, Story Chapel) has same Whittier inscription.
	Cambridge	Massachusetts	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 190
	Approx 2' x 2' Bronze Square bronze plate, with Roman numerals, is open in the center. Gnomon extends through this open space. Dial is mounted above a window of the chapel, angled from wall face. (presumably so that it will face true South.)
	Tuscaloosa	Alabama	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 189
	A 5 foot bronze and steel equatorial dial with pinhole gnomon in front of the North River Yacht Club.
	San Bernardino	California	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 188
	A 23 inch diameter horizontal bronze dial with 12 inch high gnomon and with hour, half-hour and quarter-hour lines from 5:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Roman hour numerals from 5 AM to 7 PM. Dial sits atop a 27 inch diameter stone pedestal 37.5 inch high.
	Mystic	Connecticut	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 187
	Vertical 7 ft. diameter dial. Dial painted on circular piece of wood with Arabic numerals 6AM-7PM on wall declining 9:10 west. Mounted below peak of building. Smiling sun face at point where gnomon strikes dial plate. Designed by Albert Waugh and built by Edwin Pugsley.
	Mystic	Connecticut	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 186
	Large slanted vertical dial on 8 ft. by 4 ft. wood rectangle mounted on a wall declining 80:50 east. Shows hours only till 11:30 AM, thus frequently called 'the morning dial'. Dial originally had no motto. Inscription was added later when dial was refurbished. Designed by Albert Waugh and fabricated by Edwin Pugsley.
	River Falls	Wisconsin	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 185
	The inspiration for this sundial, at one time the largest vertical dial in the world, came from Dr. Swensen visiting Heidelberg castle that had a large vertical dial on the wall of the castle. Construction of the Univ. of Wisconsin dial began in 1994 on the south wall of the Kleinpell Fine Arts Building. The result is a 30 x 56 foot vertical dial of anodized aluminum with analemmic hour markers, and day lines to mark winter and summer solstice, Candelmas (1/31), Martinmas (11/10), Beltane (5/8) and Lammas (8/4), vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The massive south-facing vertical dial takes up the entire wall of the three-story fine arts building. The hour markers are gold on the 'Spring' side and brown on the 'Fall' side with 7 day intervals marked on each.
	Schroon Lake	New York	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 184
	7-sided metal plate, about 9.75" on a side. Bronze. Unusual 7-sided dial plate, Arabic numerals. Hour and half-hour marks on outside rim. Image of bible and cross on plate left of gnomon, and 'Word of Life' on right. (These are the standard logo of the organization.) Fabricated by Colonial Brass Co, Middleboro MA.
	Mackinac	Michigan	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 183
	ca 16 in. square brass horizontal dial. Hours from 5am to 7pm in Roman numerals. Arrows radiate from the foot of the gnomon to each hour and three stars are located at the south end of the gnomon. The dial originally sat on a sightly tapered white concrete square pillar. When the dial was moved near the Jockey Club, the pedestal was redone in a square wood column painted white. A memorial plaque original on the south side of the pedestal is now on the east side. The dial was erected in memory of James R. Hayes, manager of The Grand Hotel from 1890 to 1900. The dial now sits in a small brick plaza.
	Burlington	Vermont	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 182
	Approximately 16 inch square metal horizontal dial with engraved dial face. Photo taken approximately 1965. Dial may have been removed. May required admission to Shelburne Museum.
	Annapolis	Maryland	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 181
	Farenholt sundial for U.S. Naval Hospital Annapolis MD. This cast bronze dial was designed and commissioned by RADM Farenholt for U.S. Naval Hospitals at bases where he was commanding officer, visited, or had special meaning to him. The dial is 18 inches (46cm) in diameter. The outer chapter ring has the motto, followed by a chapter ring with Arabic hours 6am to 6pm, raised hour lines that radiate from near the foot of the gnomon and short half-hour lines. The gnomon has graceful curves and a trefoil or quatrefoil cut-out in the center. Below the gnomon is the naval command name, followed by the commissioning date in the southern portion of the hours chapter ring.
	Sturbridge	Massachusetts	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 180
	A 1 foot diameter cast iron circular plate, with Roman numerals 5 am to 7 pm. Subdivided into 30 min increments on one ring, 10 minute increments on an adjacent one. Fastened with screws to a large rock. Reproduction of an authentic original cast iron dial from the Samuel Pierce House, Middleton, CT. Plaque reads "In grateful recognition for the leadership and service of Edward L. Clifford, Chairman of the Board of Trustees."
	Carmel	California	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 179
	A simple 12 inch diameter equatorial ring dial of rusted steel on a cast iron base bolted to a brick floor. This replacement dial has Arabic numerals and the base has Zodiacal symbols. The original "Sundial Lodge" was renovated as a boutique hotel but during the construction the original horizontal dial was lost. The original horizontal dial was about 16 in. diameter, made of bronze with a circular plate with Roman numerals on a plain concrete column and displayed the inscription, "Count none but the sunny hours."
	Bristol	Connecticut	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 178
	Horizontal dial designed by Richard R. Bolster. Stone. "Mr. Bolster couldn't find dials to collect so he made his own collection."
	South Hadley	Massachusetts	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 177
	ca 18 inch diameter horizontal dial. Roman numerals, 5 AM to 7 PM. Zodiac signs in circle within numerals. Capricorn and Sagittarius misplaced. The gnomon was replaced in 1991, but again has been vandalized. Dial sits atop a granite 4-finned pillar with circular granite capital.
	Woods Hole	Massachusetts	USA	Pillar Dial	Dial 176
	Stone pillar. Brass EOT graph Four-sided column. Dial on each face, with stone sphere containing a polar axis mounted on the top. Known as the Yalden dial. North gnomon has been placed incorrectly since at least the early 70's.
	Sandwich	Massachusetts	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 175
	Bronze armillary dial about 40 inches in diameter, weighing between 1100-1200 pounds. The dial has wide 4 inch meridian and equatorial rings. The equatorial ring is flanked with small arctic and antarctic circles near the poles. The gnomon is a brass rod 1 inch in diameter. According to Heritage Museum, "Originally the sundial was highly polished and the engravings on the dial and the instruction plaques were all filled with red paint to make it easier to read. The piece has acquired a patina now and traces of the red paint are still visible." The dial is corrected for longitude and along one side of the octagonal stone pedestal is a graph of the equation of time with instructions on how to read corrected time from the dial.
	Annapolis	Maryland	USA	Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon	Dial 174
	4'x4' Bronze & Brass 4' Dial plate is elaborately engraved bronze with hour and date lines. Self-orienting dial. Locate line for the date; rotate dial until shadow tip touches that line. Read time from intersection of the shadow's tip and the time line radiating from dial center. Gnomon is a model of a naval missile, resting on an anchor. A ship's binnacle supports rotating sundial plate.
	Richmond	Virginia	USA	Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon	Dial 173
	'Built in 1981 after an article in Scientific American (Dec 1980 "The Amateur Scientist") described a computer program for building a gnomonic dial with analemma hour lines. The dial was painted on the museum's parking lot, using a ball atop a 25 ft aluminum flagpole as the nodus. Semi-annual analemmas were painted in different colors, allowing correction for the equation of time. The dial was refurbished June 1992.
	Boulder	Colorado	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 172
	A large polar equatorial dial by Erickson Monuments, known as the "Tippit Sundial" given by John Tippit in memory of his son. The dial is of dark red granite, 6 feet in diameter and 6.375 inches thick. The gnomon shaft is steel, extending from the ground through the dial plate and outward another two feet. 24 hours are inscribed on each side of the dial (summer and winter) as radiating lines with Arabic numbers at the end. Time is graduated by half-hour and 5 minute marks. Designed to be read from the upper surface in Spring/Summer, from the under side in Fall/Winter. The hours on the under side of the dial were originally engraved backwards. Two plaques provide the Equation of Time to convert solar time to watch time. The dial rests on a cement work 7 feet high.
	Napanee	Ontario	Canada	Armillary Sphere	Dial 171
	4 ft Steel Sphere. Gnomon frame and dial frame made of 6 in. x 4 ft. steel wagon tires. Gnomon is 6 in. diameter steel rod. Mounted on base using standard pipe fittings. Dial sits atop a 2.5 inch diameter pipe.
	Mount Laguna	California	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 170
	The odd bowl-shape of this equatorial dial designed and built by C.T. and W.M Thwaites shows a reversed engraved map of the world. A horizontal bar across the bowl has a small metal nib which points out the time of the day (top and bottom for standard and daylight times) and also indicates the spot on the world where the Sun is currently directly overhead. On full Moon nights, this dial has been used to effectively tell time and show the position of the Moon over the Earth as well.
	Saint Anthony	Newfoundland	Canada	Heliochronometer	Dial 169
	A Pilkington & Gibbs Heliochronometer, 9 in. diameter, 9 in. high bronze with two sights, 3 x 1.5 in. Points of compass on dial base, months and dates on face. Rotates to compensate for EOT. Dial is a circular plate, mounted to allow adjustment for latitude. Gnomon consists of two cast posts with vertical slits, about 6 in. high, on opposite sides of plate. Another adjustable scale permits EOT corrections. It was part of original house from 1909-1939. Not dated, but the chronometers were sold between 1907-1914. Now on display in museum and not set up for use. Heavily patinated with some corrosion. Fabricated by Pilkington & Gibbs Ltd, Preston England, # 433. The dial is mounted to a solid Labradorite pillar, 1 foot square, 21 inch high.
	Mt. Vernon	Virginia	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 167
	A bronze octagonal horizontal dial about 12 inches on a side. Original dial is badly worn and virtually illegible; this original is now stored inside the museum. A 6 inch replica of the dial is located on a pedestal in the center of a circular lawn. This replica has an 8-pointed compass rose in the center and Roman numerals from 5 AM to 7 PM. The hour intervals are graduated into two-minute increments, with Arabic numerals 20-40-60 at appropriate places between the hour lines. Pictures of both the replica and the original dial are in the Image Archive.
	Knoxville	Tennessee	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 166
	78" w x 168" h x 78" d Steel, brass & etched glass As the sun penetrates the building a shadow is cast from the gnomon onto the 1 inch thick laminated glass which has hour lines etched into its surface. The time is viewed from the underside of the dial. A deep carved mountain landscape is artificially lighted in the lower section.
	Poughkeepsie	New York	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 165
	Built by Kenneth Lynch & Sons, Wilton CT
	Washington Crossing	New Jersey	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 164
	A 13-inch diameter horizontal dial made of iron. The dial has hour lines from 5am to 7pm, marked with Roman numerals. The gnomon is of unusual design. Set at 45 degrees, the style is supported by the profile of an eagle, head facing northward, and tail tapering to the southern point of the style. The base is a square pedestal, cobbled of stone and mortar. At top is a stone cut square to hold the dial.
	New Bedford	Massachusetts	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 163
	1820 Federal style building owned by the Univ. of Mass. at Dartmouth. Referred to as the Sundial building because of a vertical dial over the main entrance.
	Burlington	Vermont	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 161
	2'8" x 2' oval. Probably of Bronze. Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Willard Pope. Planned by Prof. Betty Bandel. Hour lines are curved to compensate for EoT. Rings indicate months. Difficult to read due to height above ground. (ca. 12' above ground level.) Dial faces approx 5 degrees East of due South. Built by W. M. Schenk.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 160
	A 1 foot diameter bronze horizontal dial. It was presented by National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors in 1991. However, the style angle is 52deg
	Laramie	Wyoming	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 159
	An ornate 18 inch brass horizontal dial sits on a massive four-stone block pedestal. The dial has hour lines from 4am to 8pm, with hours in roman numerals. Time is graduated into 5-minute intervals. The 12-noon mark is 3/8 inch wide, allowing for the gnomon which is missing.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 158
	Analemmatic dial with bronze standing figures.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 157
	A 1 foot diameter bronze horizontal dial on a square granite pedestal 3 feet tall. Possibly made in 18th century. Beautiful engraving.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 156
	A 1 foot diameter bronze horizontal dial in backyard garden. May be from 18th century. The gnomon is shaky for its bolts are loose. Style angle is about 51deg, an angle for London, not for Philadelphia.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 150
	A 21 inch diameter horizontal dial on three foot brick pedestal. Hour lines only. Gnomon reclined. Made in 1989 to commemorate Bicentennial of the General Assembly Presbyterian Church (USA). Visible through locked gates.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 148
	Horizontal dial approximately one foot diameter mounted on old stone atop a 3 foot stone pedestal. It is sitting against north wall of the garden and not aligned in proper direction. Plaque at the base states "This sundial stood for over a century in the gardens of Dorchester House, Park Lane, London, England. Presented by The Soroptomist Club of Philadelphia, December 23, 1935". This may be true for the dial plate because the hour angles indicate a latitude of 51°, the London latitude. It may not be true for the gnomon, whose style angle is 40°, the Philadelphia latitude. Access by taking guided tour, $5; then ask for garden.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 147
	Evelyn Taylor Price Memorial Sundial A vertical dial within a bronze sunflower held overhead in the outstretched arms of the bronze sculpture of two children. Dial is a vertical south decliner with hour marks from 6am to 6pm in Roman numerals.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 146
	A 10 inch diameter horizontal dial on a 40 inch tall square marble pedestal with dedication plaque. Gnomon is missing.
	Sparkill	New York	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 145
	11' H x 7' W x 2' D. Mosaic tile and bronze Entitled 'Thorpe Village Sundial'
	Brooklyn	New York	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 144
	10' H x 7' W x 2' D Wood and stainless steel Entitled 'Sundial and Arches'
	Carona Queens	New York	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 143
	11' H x 18' W x 11' D Bronze on Granite base Entitled 'Crack of Dawn Sundial.' Equatorial type, using a slot of sunlight as the gnomon
	Port Richmond, Staten Island	New York	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 142
	17' H x 11' W x 8' D Painted steel with stainless steel wire cloth Noon mark and analemma features made of concrete and brass.
	Cove	Oregon	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 141
	An unusual sun sculpture 5 foot tall and approximately 20 inches in width and depth. Has hour and minute markings arranged on horizontal members. A 1/4 inch steel rod functions as the gnomon. The dial is set to read Pacific Daylight Solar Time, with a stated accuracy of 15 seconds of time.
	New York	New York	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 140
	A 20' H x 10' W x 5' D Equatorial in Bronze and Stainless Steel. Entitled "Song to the Sun." Dial by Robert Adzema; gift of George and Annette Murphy in 1984.
	Franklin Center	Pennsylvania	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 139
	A modernistic equatorial dial about 6 feet in diameter. The analemma shaped gnomon casts standard time onto a wide metal semicircle band. The hours with 10-minute marks are inscribed on the center of the equatorial band. This unique sundial tells the time, indicates the approximate day of the month and projects the zodiacal constellation signs as they are aligned with the sun and the earth in this era. It is accurate to within two minutes.
	Shreveport	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 138
	Stone Dial vandalized. Gnomon missing, apparently knocked off with some damage to horizontal dial plate. Dial bears Roman numerals, from IV to VIII.
	Boulder	Colorado	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 137
	A horizontal dial using a 60 cm brass plate gnomon with a slit that projects a shaft of light onto the dial face inscribed with un-numbered hour lines. Dial sits atop a cubical marble base with a plaque bearing the inscription.